life is beautiful

ready to roll... California here we come!

A day and a half driving down, 

2 full days there 

and a day and half driving back home. 

picnic lunch in the car

2 motel stays,

countless poddy stops, 

3 nights in the vacation condo, 

breakfast and lunches with family,

a little downtime lounging by the pool and enjoying the sunshine!

forgot to pack a swimsuit but dangling my feet was almost as much fun.

visit to the nail salon, 

dinner with old friends, 

and of course, one magnificent wedding and reception. 

There was also a special component at breakfast one morning

 that featured color enhanced cupcakes to reveal the gender

of a baby-on-the-way !

it's gonna be a boy!!

mother of the bride and the bride getting pedi's

Sharon was my pastor for many years before she moved away.
She performed the wedding ceremony for Bruce and I!
 Her daughter Michele and I were housemates for a couple of years before I met Bruce.
It was really great to get together for dinner and catch up with each others lives. 

this is the unique and very fun program used for the wedding! 

filling in the crossword puzzle using these clues, informed us about the bridal party!

all the guests got one along with cute little souvenir pencils.
here my two niece-in-laws work their puzzles while waiting for the wedding to begin.  

HERE COMES THE BRIDE!
followed by her supportive parents. 

mr and mrs newlywed!

Kimberly and Andy

my sister and her beautiful family

 

sunset along the freeway

 It was a whirlwind trip and the festivities were fun. 

The wedding was lovely; the bride even lovelier. 

Connecting with family, old friends and making new ones

 was all part of the plan and 

everyone came away full. 

at a rest stop in northern Calif. near the Klamath River. Autumn at it's finest. 

do you know the way to san jose?

doo-doo-do-do-do-do-doo-do-doo-do-doo...

I could have easily picked 'going to the chapel' as my title but since I'm not the one who's 'gonna get married' the San Jose reference was more fun. OK, technically, we are not going to San Jose, it's actually Santa Clara CA but the vacation condo rental where we'll be staying IS in San Jose and the wedding is taking place in Santa Clara, right on the border of SJ. The IMPORTANT thing here is that there is going to be a wedding and I get to go!

Yes, on Wednesday evening this week I will be climbing in the backseat of my sister and brother in law's Buick and riding with them to Santa Clara for the wedding of their baby girl. This baby girl has a special place in my heart and there is a very sweet little story I want to tell you.

When MY baby girl was about 8 months old, I paid a visit to my sister who was living in S. Ca. She had 3 children at the time. The oldest, Christy Lou, was almost 4 and the twin boys were about 2. A full house to say the least. However, my baby girl was pretty adorable (still is of course) and Christy Lou,was quite smitten with this sweet little baby. Apparently, so smitten that she decided she needed a baby sister. And was bold enough to PRAY FOR ONE one night at the dinner table. As the story goes her daddy's eyes flew open and looking upward, was heard to mutter "Lord, I've got seniority!"  We chuckle over the retelling of this story because it wasn't really too long after, that my sister announced there was a baby (girl) (KJ) on the way!

When KJ graduated from high school she came to Washington  and lived with us for a year. We loved having her here and it was hard saying goodbye when the time came to move back to S Ca. We have remained close and so it is with great joy that I will attend her wedding at the end of this week!

The only sad part of this is that my sweetie will not be traveling with us. We just can't swing a trip for the 2 of us right now. He pretty much insisted that I should go though and who was I to argue? ;)

Of course this ROAD TRIP gives my sister and I one more fun adventure to share. Not sure how my brother in law will cope with the two of us in the car but it will be lively I am sure. Stay tuned for updates and pictures!!

Grow Old Along With Me

Indulge me a little will you?

Silver Lake Park, 16 years ago today....

a man

and a woman

tied the knot

the songs that are runnning through my head this morning are from our wedding....

as we walked in (Peter Paul and Mary)  the Wedding Song (There is Love)

when we lit our unity candle (Mary Chapin Carpenter)  Grow Old Along With Me

walking down the aisle after the "I Do's" (Randy Travis)  Forever and Ever Amen

during the Reception

(Celine Dion)  The Power of Love

(Mary Chapin Carpenter/Joey Diffy)  It's Not Too Much to Ask

thank you Bruce

because of your love

~~I have, forever and ever,  a song in my heart~~

Amen.

Forever and Ever Amen Video

NUMBER FIFTEEN!!

We interrupt this travelogue to wish a Happy Anniversary to the Love-Burkes! 

Silver Lake State Park, Maple Falls, WA

~~we can still recite our vows to one another~~

~~the most beautiful wonderful happiest day~~

~partners~for~life~

Weekend to Remember Day 3 ~ Wedding Day

Brian and Becky chatting before the wedding with Becky's dad while her Mom takes a picture

Kassi, my beautiful niece, Brian's daughter

on a beach further down the lake you can find these heart shaped rocks by the dozens. we thought they made perfect decorations!

saying their vows

lots of love and tears of joy

~the bridesmaids~ Bryelle, Kassi and Brianna

I give you this ring

prayer of blessing

such a beautiful location and a spectacular day for a wedding!

the KISS

Mr and Mrs Brian and Becky Honcoop

this is one of my favorite pictures

the bridal party

Parson and Wife, Bride and Groom

showing the newlyweds how to really kiss.

the toast

wedding cake feeding time

uh oh. something ugly is about to happen!

sure glad they changed out of their wedding attire for this little game!

she's laughing--

and it looks like he got his!

Honcoop Haven ~ mini Maui

Weekend to Remember Day 2 Told Best in Pictures

camp site all set up

complete with solar powered shower. Bruce said it worked great. I took his word for it.

we are right on the beach~bliss~~

Pete brought the boat.

Brian & Becky's 5th wheel- the Hub for all the activities

took a drive to near by Grand Coulee Dam

we went in to Grand Coulee to replace that shredded tire~~ and get a closer look at the dam.

back in camp lots of water activities were pursued.

the bride and groom enjoying their pre-wedding-day-prissy-redneck-lifestyle

Dixie and Fergie enjoying the view from the porch

Bruce and Pete just hanging out

more family arrives and set up for Saturday's wedding begins.

wedding rehearsal with the parson

moon-rise over Steamboat Rock

~home~sweet~away from home~ by night lights~

it was a pretty full day!